Wheel hubcap structure



- Jan.25,1949. G,A,LYQN 2,459,890

WHEEL HUB CAP STRUCTURE Filed Oct. 15,1945

[fiver-Liar" 6500 a: fix. 8587' [ya/v Patented Jan. 25, 1949 um'reostares FPATE-Nfl QFFICE VHEEL HUBCAP s'rnno'rnna George Albert-Lyon,Allenhurst, N. J. 'npplieationoetoher 15, 1 94 5, seriarmltza ns 8Claims. (Cl. 301- 108) 1 This invention relates to a wheelcoverstructure, and more particularly to a novel hub :cap and the retentionof the same on an automobile wheel.

An object of "this invention is to provide a 'simple formof hub cap"which may be very economically manufactured and still possess thenecessary operating characteristics to enable its proper detachableretention on 'a wheel.

Another object of this invention is-to provide "a hub cap with an outerresilient defiectable edge portion which does "not necessitate that theentire hub cap bema'de of expensive springy material, such, for example,as spring steel.

In accordance with the general features of this invention there isprovided a wheel hub 'cap comprising a dished 'shell of metal includinga central-crown portion and a curved outer mar- I gin "and an annularring of highly resilient metallic material curved to conform to andtightly nest over the outer shell margin and having a continuous outerturned edge substantially beyond the outer edge of the shell; the

ring providing the hub cap with a resiliently defiectable outer edge forsnap on detachable retaining engagement with the wheel.

In accordance with still other'features of my invention there isprovided a novel combination including a wheel body member having spacedretaining ,protuberances extending radially beyond an annular hub capseat and a hub leap provided with a flexible outer margin to be snappedover the protuberances and beyond-the same onto the seat. Thisarrangementissuch that the edgeportion of the hub capis deflectedradially outwardly at its points of engagement with the protuberaneesand is stressed radially inwardly at intermediate points so as to bottomon the annular seat provided on the outer 'face .of'the body orload-bearing part of the wheel.

Other objects and'features of this'invention will more fully appear fromthe following detailed description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, which illustrate single embodiment thereof and inwhich:

Figurel is a fragmentary side'view'of a -wheel *structure'having appliedthereto a hub cap of myinvention; and

Figure 2 is an enlargedfra gmentary'crosssectional view taken onsubstantially the line II-II fdf Figure 1 looking in-the directionindicated by*-thearrows.

*As shown on the drawings: The reference character 9 designatesgenerally aconventionalpneumatic automobile tire 55*pa'r't *providedwitharm-annular groove or dieand-tube mounted in thelusual 'way upon 'amultiflange drop center :type or tire rim ttl, =which constitutes oneelement of the automobile wheel. A valve stem "8 of the the assembly '8projects in the usual way through Jan aperture :in one of thesidellanges of the tire irim std.

"is customary the Wheel art, Ethe tire wheelis attached to' and :carriedbya load-bearinglor body member -H, which comprises "a dished metallicstamping. This body member H compriseswan zaxially outwardly bu'lgedoentral or nose portion [-2, a .rearwardly :incline'd flange portion 13and a radially extending "bolt-on flange 14. This "bolt-on flange, 'asis customary in the art, -is adapted to be detachably secured to a partof an axle by means of .cap *screwsor bolts (not shown).

Now it is very important in the manufacture efload-bearingzmembers for awheel that they beiso constructed as to withstand the stress and strainincident to the operation of the wheel under even the .most severe roadconditions. Heretofore .it has been "the practice to fasten the hub capto such body members by means ofspring clips fastened to the bodymember.

'Ihisnecessitated aperturing of the body part in 'to their function ofdetachably holding the hub cap or wheel cover on the wheel.

Such "protuberances are designated by the "reference "character itandmay' be "of any suitable number, such, forexample, asthreetofive, andarranged "in a common "circle *on' the nose "portion l2'of the body parti I. These protuberances may be "suitably "PIQSSEdTIOm the body "partand are preferably located in thevi'cinity 'dfthebase or the'tirerim H!so "that a relatively largehub' cap can be used.

Each protuberance has a radially outwardly facing lead-in surface 1tterminating in-a hump "or high point H esgialiy inwardly of the lead =insurface.

To the "rear of "the "high 5 points H, the "body steel.

pression It, the bottom of which is in a circle of a'dlametersubstantially less than the diameter of the circle in which the highpoints 11 are located. As a consequence, an annular seat is provided forthe hub cap which is located substantially radially inwardly of thebumps thereby necessitating a distortion of the edge of the hub cap 20,to be hereinafter described, in order for it to be properly seated onthe body part.

My present invention is especially concerned with the construction ofthe hub cap or wheel cover 20. This cover includes a dished or crownportion 2! having a central indentation 22 in which may be secured asuitable medallion 23. The crown portion 2i is provided with an annularindentation or shoulder 24 which is at the junction of the crown portion2i andan outer annular V curved margin 25 of the dished shell.

Tightly nested over and interlocked with this annular margin 25 is anannular, ring 26 which has a radially inner turned edge 21 arranged tobottom against the shoulder 24 and an outer annular hollow bead 28 ofsuch diameter as to have a snap-on retaining cooperation with the bumpsor protuberances l5. 7

It should be perceived that the hollow annular bead 28 extendssubstantially beyond the outer edge 29 of the'main hub cap shell, whichedge 25 projects only to a slight extent into the bead 28. This leavesthe bead 28 free to flex as it is being resiliently stressed in theapplication and removal of the hub cap it with respect to the wheel.

The bead 28 is preferably formed on the ring 26 after the ring has beennested over the outer the outer margin.

The aforesaid arrangement is highly desirable in that the crown ordished portion 2i of the hub cap 20 may be made of a relatively rigidmaterial, as compared with the material of the resilient ring 26. Forillustration, the part 2! may comprise a stamping from a sheet of lowcarbon On the other hand, the ring 26 may be rolled from spring steelstrip or stock, such, for example, as stainless steel. The process ofmaking and interconnecting these parts is the subject of a separatecopending application Serial No. 622,447 filed October 15, 1945.

The two parts, 2! and 25, of the hub cap 2il lend themselves to a highlydecorative appearit will be found that the exposed portion of shell 2|between the medallion 23 and the ring 26 by reason of its darker colorwill serve to set off a the medallion and the ring.

In the application of the hub cap 28 to the wheel, it is first alignedwith the bumps so that its curved springy edge 28 strikes the lead-insurfaces 55 of the bumps or protuberances. ,By

slight axial pressure on the hub'cap, the beaded edge 28 is cammedupwardly over the lead-in surfaces IB and over thehigh points ll of theprotuberances until it snaps over and behind the high points and intoretaining engagement-with their axially rearsides, are located in acircle of a diameter greater than thatof the bottom of the groove l8, itfollows that the beaded edge 28 Will be stressed radially outwardly atthe bumps but will tend to contract between the bumps tightly againstthe bottom of the groove l8 thus retaining the hub cap under tension onthe wheel.

When it is desired to remove the hub cap the same may be readilyeffected by inserting the edge of a pry on" tool under the beaded edge28 and forcibly prying it free of itsiretaining engagement with thebumps 55.

I claim as my invention:

1. As an article of manufacture a wheel hub 'cap comprising a dishedshell of metallic mateflectable'outer edge for snap on detachable retaining engagement with a wheel, said crown portion and curved outermargin being connected by an indented shoulder portion and said ringhaving an inner edge tightly seated on said shoulder portion. a

2. In a wheel structure, a wheel including a load bearing part having aplurality of spaced radially outwardly projecting protuberances arrangedin a common circle, each of said protuberances including a lead-insurface terminating in a radially outer high point, said part alsohaving an annular groove radially inwardly of said high points in whichan edge of a hub cap is adapted'to bottom and awheel hub cap cooperablewith said protuberances comprising a dished shell of metallic 'inaterialincluding a central crown portion and a curved outer margin and aseparate annular ring of highly resilient metallic material curved toconform to and tightly nest over said outer shell margin and interlockedtherewith, said ring having .a continuous outer edge substantiallybeyond the outer edge of said shell, said ring providing said cap with aresiliently defiectable outer edge of such diameter as to requiredeflection in order for the same to be snapped over said high points ofthe protuberances and into retaining engagement with the load bearingpart at the bottom of said groove. 1 a

3. As an article of manufacture a wheel hub cap comprising a dishedshell of metallic material including a' central crown portion and 'acurved out-er margin and an annular ring of highly resilient metallicmaterial curved to conform to and tightly nest over said outer shellmargin and having a continuous outer turned edge beyond the outer edgeof said shell, said ring providing said cap with a resilientlydeflectable outer edge for snap on detachable retaining engagement witha wheel, said crown, portion and curved outer margin being connected byan indented shoulder portion and'said ring having an inner edge tightlyseated on said shoulder portion, said. turned edge being turned aroundand under the outer edge of said shell to hold said ring on said shelland against said shoulder portion. 1

4. As an article of manufacture a wheel hub cap comprising a dishedshell of metallic material including a central crown portion and acurved outer margin and an annular ring of highly resilient metallicmaterial curved to conform to and tightly nest over said outer shellmargin and having a continuous outer turned edge beyond the outer edgeof said shell, said ring providing said cap with a resilientlydeflectable outer edge for snap on detachable retaining engagement witha wheel, said crown portion and curved outer margin being connected byan indented shoulder portion and said ring having an inner edge tightlyseated on said shoulder portion, said turned edge being turned aroundand under the outer edge of said shell to hold said ring on said shelland against said shoulder portion, the outer surface of said ring andthe exposed outer surface of said shell being substantially flush andconstituting portions of a substantially uniformly curved overallsurface.

5. As an article of manufacture, a wheel cover comprising a circularshell having a marginal portion, and an annular metallic ringoverlapping said marginal portion in substantially parallel relationthereto and projecting as a continuation thereof only slightly beyondthe marginal portion, the projected portion of the ring being formedinto a continuous springy retaining edge on the cover in close proximityto and interlocked with the edge of the marginal portion and resilientlyyieldable in the application of the cover to a wheel, the other edge ofsaid ring bearing on the axially outer surface of said shell.

6. As an article of manufacture, a wheel cover comprising a circularshell having a marginal portion, and an annular metallic ringoverlapping said marginal portion in substantially parallel relationthereto and projecting as a continuation thereof only slightly beyondthe marginal portion, the projected portion of the ring being formedinto a continuous springy retaining radially outer edge on the cover inclose proximity to the edge of the marginal portion and resilientlyyieldable in the application of the cover to a wheel, the edge of saidcover marginal portion being interlocked with said outer ring edge andconcealed thereby, the other and radially inner edge of said ringprojecting over and onto the axially outer surface of said shell.

7. As an article of manufacture, a wheel cover comprising a circulardished shell having a marginal portion of convex-concave cross sectionand an annular ring overlapping said marginal portion so as to besubstantially coextensive therewith and having a radially outer edgeextending only slightly beyond the edge of the marginal portion so as tobe in close proximity thereto and formed into a continuous circular beadproviding the shell with a cover retaining edge of greater springyqualities than that of the metal of the shell, said ring having itsradially inner portion overlying and supported on the axially outersurface of said shell.

8. As an article of manufacture, a circular wheel cover havinga marginalportion of curved cross section and a transversely curved annular ringof metallic material of substantially greater resiliency than that ofsaid cover and substantially concentrically overlapping said marginalportion in close relation thereto, said ring including an extensionradially beyond the edge of said marginal portion and formed into aturned continuous cover retaining the edge resiliently flexible at theedge of the marginal portion in the application of the cover to a wheel.

GEORGE ALBERT LYON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,190,669 Lyon Feb. 20, 1940FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 456,866 Great Britain Nov. 17, 1936

